Sheet handling and laminating device



Dec. 22, 1959 T. F. ARONSON ET AL 2,918,278

SHEET HANDLING AND LAMINATING DEVICE Filed Nov. 20, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 illlw INVENTOR5. 77/500025 7F flea/v50 Mom 6'. L V0 BY ATTORNEY United States Patent SHEET HANDLING AND LAMINATING DEVICE Theodore F. Aronson, Glen Cove, and Floyd A. Lyon, Brookville, N.Y., assignors to Halm Instrument Co. Inc., Glen Head, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application November 20, 1957, Serial No. 697,661

11 Claims. (Cl. 271-8) This invention relates to sheet handling devices, and particularly to devices for feeding sheets of paper at high speeds into printers, folders, slotters and other machines.

In the handling of sheets of paper at high speeds certain problems arise which have placed speed limitations upon the operations of printing presses, envelope making machines and the like. At high speeds, paper will often behave in a manner which will cause it to jam within the machine through which it is being fed. The action of the air surrounding the sheet of paper in its travel often causes the paper to bend or take a path other than the desired one.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a high speed handling device having positive control of the sheet throughout its travel, without the use of opposed rollers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which can handle a large variety of sheet sizes.

An object of the present invention is to provide an easily adjustable sheet handling device.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a sheet handling device which will take sheets from a machine or stack at high speeds and advance them in an overlapping band at a substantially slower speed.

A, feature of the present invention is its adjustable sheet gripping cylinder.

Another feature of the present invention is its use of vacuum ports which may be selectively placed and operated about the surface of the sheet gripping device.

A further feature of the present invention is its cammed roller for grasping the leading edge of each sheet before its trailing edge is released.

The invention consists of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as herein illustrated, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof is illustrated two forms of embodiment of the invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken on line 1-1 in Figure 6 of a sheet gripping cylinder according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 in Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 in Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 in Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5. in Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a view in side elevation showing a complete high speed sheet handling and laminating device according to the present invention.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 6 of a second embodiment of a sheet handling laminating device according to the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1, 9 indicates a sheet grasping cylinder assembly having a shaft 10, which is secured. to a source of rotary power. (not shown). A hub 11 is ice slipped over the shaft 10 and keyed thereto. The hub 11 is provided with an enlarged disc shaped portion 12 at one end thereof. The disc 12, best shown in Figure 2, is formed with a series of blind horizontal bores 13, which enter from one face of the disc 12 and communi cate with a corresponding series of short radial bores 14 which are cut into the peripheral face of the disc 12.

A bored cylindrical member, hereinafter referred to as a wheel 15, best shown in Figures 1 and 3, is slipped upon the hub 11 adjacent the bored face of the disc 12. The wheel 15 is provided with a series of transverse bores 16, a selected number of which are in communication with a series of radial bores 17 drilled into the wheel 15 from the outer surface thereof. The wheel 15 carries a spring loaded ball 18 within a bore 19 therein. The hub 11 is provided with a series of sockets, best shown in Figure 3, which are adapted to receive the ball 18. In this manner, the orientation of the wheel upon the hub can be changed as desired and, once positioned, held in place by the ball 18 in the socket 20. The loca tion of the sockets 20 upon the hub 11 is such that when the ball 18 is seated within a socket the bores 13 in the disc 12 will be in register with the bores 16 of the wheel 15.

A second disc 21, best shown in Figures 1 and 4, is keyed to the hub 11, adjacent the side of the wheel 15 opposite the first disc. The second disc 21 is provided with a series of transverse bores 22 identical in size and spacing to those in the wheel 15. A series of radial bores 23 connect certain of the transverse bores 22 with the outer surface 24 of the second disc 21.

A valve disc 25, (see Figures 1 and 5)) is carried upon the hub 11 in contact with the second disc 21 as indicated at 26 in Figure 1. While the valve disc 25 is supported by the hub 11, it does not rotate with it. As shown in Figure 5, the valve disc is formed with an elongated arcuate slot 27 on the second disc side thereof. A source of vacuum (not shown) is connected to the slot 27 by means of a pipe 28 and a transverse bore 29.

The arcuate slot 27 is in register with the bores 22 of the second disc 21 which in turn are in register with the transverse bores of the wheel 15 and the first disc 12. Vacuum applied to the pipe 28 will therefore create a suction through the radial bores 14, 17 and 23, which communicate with the transverse bores 13, 16 and 22. A sheet, such as a foil of paper 31, coming from some prior operation, when brought into contact with the outer surface of the sheet grasping member will be held securely thereto by the vacuum.

As the rotating members 12, 15 and 21, move past the stationary valve disc 25, the aligned transverse bores will pass a port 30 which runs through the valve disc 25 to the atmosphere. The vacuum is broken at this port 30 and the trailing edge of the sheet 31 is released. Once released, the sheet will fall free of the cylinder 9 in the direction indicated by the arrow 45. The fall of the trailing edge of the sheet 31 takes it out of the path of the oncoming next sheet and makes extremely high speed handling of the sheets possible.

The location of the port 30 is such, however, that it does not cause the release of the trailing edge of the sheet 31 until its leading edge 32 has been grasped by the cam operated roller 33 (Figure 6).

Each revolution of the hub 11 causes a cam 34 secured thereto to raise the roller 33 enough to permit the leading edge 32 of the paper to enter the space between the roller 33 and a slow moving conveyor belt 35. As soon as the sheet 31 is between the two, the roller 33 drops down upon it, firmly holding it in place. Thereafter, even though the paper 31 may buckle between the roller 33 and the remainder of the sheet grasping cylinder assembly, the leading edge 32 of the sheet.31 remains in a fixed relationship with respect to the belt 35, the preceding sheets upon which it has been placed, and the machine into which the laminated sheets are being fed.

- The means by which the roller 33 is caused to move in performing the above described operation is best shown in Figure 6. The roller 33 is journaled upon a stud 36 carried by an arm 37. The arm 37 is pivotally secured to a support 42 as indicated at 38. A cam follower 39 is carried at one end of an arm 40. The opposite end of the arm 40 is secured to a stub shaft 41 which extends laterally from the roller arm 37. As the cam follower 39 rides upon the cam 34 it causes the roller arm 37 to move up or down bringing it away from or into contact with the belt 35 of the slow speed conveyor. A spring 43 is employed to hold the roller 33 firmly against the sheets 31 on the belt 44 until the next sheet is in position to be placed thereunder.

The construction of the sheet grasping cylinder 9 is such that it is readily adjusted to handle a wide variety of sheet lengths. Thus, for example, to handle a sheet of short length the radial bores 14, 17, 23, in the discs 12, 21, and wheel 15 may be placed in side by side alignment. The length of vacuum gripping area will then be at its minimum. In order to increase the length of the vacuum gripping area for longer sheets it is only necessary to move the wheel 15 with respect to the discs 12, 21, the desired number of stations. As the ball 18 snaps into each socket 20 the transverse bores 13, 16, 22, will be in register and the vacuum grip action carried to each of the radial bores. In the example illustrated, by moving the wheel 15 past four sockets 20 the length of the gripping surface can be extended to one half of the circumference of the grasping cylinder 9. A very positive drive can be achieved in this manner even with long sheets.

Referring to Figure 7, there is shown a sheet handling and laminating device, particularly adapted to the handling of thin sheets of paper and the like. In this embodiment the roller 33 may be yieldably urged against the conveyor 44 by the spring 43 at all times. The sheet 31 is driven by the vacuum cylinder in accordance with the hereinabove described disclosure until it passes through the bight between the roller 33 and the surface of the conveyor. At this juncture, the trailing edge of the sheet 31 will be released by the vacuum holding device as the transverse bores 13, 16, 22, come in register with the port 30. However, as the cylinder rotates, the sheet 31 will also be peeled off the cylinder without the release of the vacuum due to the grip of the roller 33. Where thin sheets are used, a stripper bar 46, may be used to positively separate the sheets from the cylinder 14. Since the sheet 31 has remained under control at all times, and has not been released until firmly grasped by the rollers 33, there is no opportunity for it to get out of alignment with the conveyor 44. In addition, the cylinder assembly, holding the sheet by one side thereof, allows the sheet 31 to drop away freely from it as indicated at 45 in Figure 7, once the vacuum has been released. Succeeding sheets can thereupon be driven between the roller 33 and the previously driven sheets which lie upon the conveyor 44. The trailing edge of the sheet 31 does not move with respect to the cylinder assembly, and while the sheet may buckle as it is driven under the .bight, the forward edge of said sheet will be positively and accurately located with respect to its distance from the preceding sheet upon which it lies.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there have been provided sheet handling and laminating devices, capable of operating at high speeds which will hold the sheets being fed under positive control at all times, thereby achieving great precision in positioning the laminated sheets for subsequent operations. The sheets are handled solely by vacuum at extremely high speeds under positive control without resorting to opposed rollers. By eliminating the need for opposed rollers the trailing edge of each sheet is able to fall away freely from the handling device and the path of the next oncoming sheet.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. A sheet feeding and handling device comprising, a rotatable cylinder, said cylinder connected to a source of vacuum, bores in said cylinder from the vacuum source to the outer surface of the cylinder, a cam driven by the cylinder, a sheet conveyor adjacent the cylinder, an arm pivotally carried between the cylinder and the conveyor, a roller journaled in the conveyor end of said arm and receivable upon said conveyor, a cam follower arm in contact with the cam at one end and drivably connected to the roller arm, a spring connected to the roller arm to urge the roller into contact with the conveyor and means to drive the cylinder to advance the sheet, control the vacuum and raise and lower the roller to feed succeeding sheets along the conveyor in positive spaced relationship with each other.

2. A sheet feeding and handling device comprising, a rotatable cylinder including a hub, a plurality of discs on said hub, said cylinder connected to a source of vacuum, a plurality of transverse and radial bores in the discs of said cylinder from the vacuum source to the outer surface of the cylinder, an exhaust port in the cylinder to break the vacuum at a selected portion of the feeding cycle, a cam driven by the cylinder, a sheet conveyor adjacent the cylinder, an arm pivotally carried between the cylinder and the conveyor, a roller journaled in the conveyor end of said arm and receivable upon said conveyor, a cam follower arm in contact with the cam at one end and drivably connected to the roller arm, a spring connected to the roller arm to urge the roller into contact with the conveyor and means to drive the cylinder to advance the sheet, control the vacuum and raise and lower the roller to feed succeeding sheets along the conveyor in positive spaced relationship with each other.

3. A sheet feeding and handling device comprising, a rotatable cylinder including a hub, a plurality of discs on said hub, rotatably shiftable with respect to each other and the hub, said cylinder connected to a source of vacuum, a plurality of transverse and radial bores in the discs of said cylinder from the vacuum source to the outer surface of the cylinder, an exhaust port in the cylinder to break the vacuum at a selected portion of the feeding cycle, a cam driven by the cylinder, a sheet conveyor adjacent the cylinder, an arm pivotally carried between the cylinder and the conveyor, a roller journaled in the conveyor end of said arm and receivable upon said conveyor, a cam follower arm in contact with the cam at one end and drivably connected to the roller arm, a spring connected to the roller arm to urge the roller into contact with the conveyor and means to drive the cylinder to advance the sheet, control the vacuum and raise and lower the roller to feed succeeding sheets along the conveyor in positive spaced relationship with each other.

4. A sheet feeding and handling device comprising, a rotatable cylinder formed of a hub, an enlarged first disc fixed to one end of the hub, a centrally bored wheel member, rotatably shiftable upon the hub adjacent the first disc, a second disc fixedly carried by the hub adjacent the centrally bored wheel member, and a stationary valve disc upon the hub adjacent the second disc, said valve disc connected to a source of vacuum, a plurality of transverse bores in the first and second discs and wheel, a plurality of radial bores in the first and second discs and wheel extending from the outer surface thereof to the transverse bores, means to connect the transverse bores to the vacuum in the valve disc and means consisting of a bore leading to the atmosphere to break the vacuum in the bores.

5, A sheet feeding and handling device comprising, a

rotatable cylinder formed of a hub, an enlarged first disc fixed to one end of the hub, a centrally bored wheel member, rotatably shiftable upon the hub adjacent the first disc, a bore in said wheel, a spring loaded ball adjacent the hub in said bore, a plurality of ball receiving sockets in the hub underlying the ball, a second disc fixedly carried by the hub adjacent the centrally bored wheel member, and a stationary valve disc upon the hub adjacent the second disc, said valve disc connected to a source of vacuum, a plurality of transveres bores in the first and second discs and wheel, a plurality of radial bores in the first and second discs and wheel extending from the outer surface thereof to the transverse bores, means to connect the transverse bores to the vacuum in the valve disc, means including the spring loaded ball and sockets to shift the position of the wheel bores with respect to the disc bores to vary the amount of outer surface of the cylinder providing vacuum and means consisting of a bore leading to the atmosphere to break the vacuum in the bores.

6. A sheet feeding and handling device comprising, a rotatable cylinder formed of a hub, an enlarged first disc fixed to one end of the hub, a centrally bored wheel member, rotatably shiftable upon the hub adjacent the first disc, a second disc fixedly carried by the hub adjacent the centrally bored wheel member, and a stationary valve disc upon the hub adjacent the second disc, an arcuate slot on the inner face of the valve disc, said valve disc slot connected to a source of vacuum, a plurality of transverse bores in the first and second discs and wheel, a plurality of radial bores in the first and second discs and wheel extending from the outer surface thereof to the transverse bores, means to connect the transverse bores to the vacuum slot in the valve disc and means consisting of a bore in the valve disc leading to the atmosphere to break the vacuum in the bores.

7. A device according to claim 4 in which the radial bores extend for only a portion of the outer surface of the discs and wheel.

8. A sheet feeding and handling device comprising, a rotatable cylinder formed of a hub, an enlarged first disc fixed to one end of the hub, a centrally bored wheel member, rotatably shiftable upon the hub adjacent the first disc, a second disc fixedly carried by the hub adjacent the centrally bored wheel member, and a stationary valve disc upon the hub adjacent the second disc, said valve disc connected to a source of vacuum, a plurality of transverse bores in the first and second discs and wheel, a plurality of radial bores in the first and second discs and wheel extending from the outer surface thereof to the transverse bores, means to connect the transverse bores to the vacuum in the valve disc and means consisting of a bore leading to the atmosphere to break the vacuum in the bores, a cam driven by the cylinder, a sheet conveyor adjacent the cylinder, an arm pivotally carried between the cylinder and the conveyor, a roller journaled in the conveyor end of said arm and receivable upon said conveyor, a cam follower arm in contact with the cam at one end and drivably connected to the roller arm, a spring connected to the roller arm to urge the roller into contact with the conveyor and means to drive the cylinder to advance the sheet, control the vacuum and raise and lower the roller to feed succeeding sheets along the conveyor in positive spaced relationship with each other.

9. A sheet feeding and handling device comprising, a rotatable cylinder formed of" a hub, an enlarged first disc fixed to one end of the hub, a centrally bored wheel member, rotatably shiftable upon the hub adjacent the first disc, a bore in said wheel, a spring loaded ball adjacent the hub in said bore, a plurality of ball receiving sockets in the hub underlying the ball, a second disc fixedly carried by the hub adjacent the centrally bored wheel member, and a stationary valve disc upon the hub adjacent the second disc, an arcuate slot on the inner face of the valve disc, said valve disc slot connected to a source of vacuum, a plurality of transverse bores in the first and second discs and wheel, a plurality of radial bores in the first and second discs and wheel extending from the outer surface thereof to the transverse bores, means to connect the transverse bores to the vacuum slot in the valve disc, means including the spring loaded ball and sockets to shift the position of the wheel bores with respect to the disc bores to Vary the amount of outer surface of the cylinder providing vacuum and means consisting of a bore in the valve disc leading to the atmosphere to break the vacuum in the bores.

10. A sheet feeding and handling device comprising, a rotatable cylinder formed of a hub, an enlarged first disc fixed to one end of the hub, a centrally bored wheel member, rotatably shiftable upon the hub adjacent the first disc, a bore in said wheel, a spring loaded ball adjacent the hub in said bore, a plurality of ball receiving sockets in the hub underlying the ball, a second disc fixedly carried by the hub adjacent the centrally bored wheel member, and a stationary valve disc upon the hub adjacent the second disc, an arcuate slot on the inner face of the valve disc, said valve disc slot connected to a source of vacuum, a plurality of transverse bores in the first and second discs and wheel, a plurality of radial bores in the first and second discs and wheel extending from the outer surface thereof to the transverse bores, means to connect the transverse bores to the vacuum slot in the valve disc, means including the spring loaded ball and sockets to shift the position of the wheel bores with respect to the disc bores to vary the amount of outer surface of the cylinder providing vacuum and means consisting of a bore in the valve disc leading to the atmosphere to break the vacuum in the bores, a cam driven by the cylinder, a sheet conveyor adjacent the cylinder, an arm pivotally carried between the cylinder and the conveyor, a roller journaled in the conveyor end of said arm and receivable upon said conveyor, a cam follower arm in contact with the cam at one end and drivably connected to the roller arm, a spring connected to the roller arm to urge the roller into contact with the conveyor and means to drive the cylinder to advance the sheet, control the vacuum and raise and lower the roller to feed succeeding sheets along the conveyor in positive spaced relationship to each other,

11. A sheet handling and laminating device comprising, a rotatable cylinder to receive thereon a sheet, a plurality of radial bores in the outer surface of the cylinder, said cylinder bores connected to a source of vacuum to grasp the sheet, means to rotate the cylinder to transport the sheet while held solely on one side thereof by the cylinder, a conveyor adjacent the cylinder, a roller arm between the cylinder, and conveyor, and cam means, driven by the cylinder, and in contact with the arm to raise the roller arm to receive the leading edge of a sheet from the cylinder between the arm and the conveyor and thereafter lower the roller arm to hold the sheet against the conveyor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,618,182 Frohn Feb. 22, 1927 1,630,552 Waterworth May 31, 1927 1,672,412 Hitchcock June 5, 1928 2,125,199 Rheutan July 26, 1938 2,704,209 Halahan et al. Mar. 15, 1955 

